blogger mom

Some of my favorite Christmas memories are of the arrival of my extended family. Whether we were waiting for their plane at the airport or for their car to pull in the driveway the anticipation was almost unbearable. And then they would arrive--tears, hugs, and always a lot of laughs. That's how I feel tonight...butterflies in my stomach. I'm so excited for the arrival of my cousin and his family that I'm near tears thinking about it. Unfortunately they won't have Aunt Libby and Uncle Jim, or my cousin Ryan and his wife with them. But, they are coming to stay. It's hard to believe that beginning tomorrow they will be living in Columbus. They aren't leaving this time. The leaving was always so hard, more tears and hugs, but a different kind at the end of their visit then at the beginning. They are coming home. Family.

Tonight at our advent gathering at 64 King baby Trey was roaming from one person to the next. I watched him sit on Tawd's lap as we sang and the word "family" came to mind. Riley was never like that, he never wandered very far from me. Maybe it is simply a difference in personality, but I really don't think so. I think Trey is being raised by a much larger family than Riley was at his age. It was a serious confirmation for me that when we made the decision to leave church work for the sake of our children we made the right choice. Family.

Tomorrow night the family will all be here. Those that gathered in our home twice a week during the 18 months we lived in Gahanna are coming to help us celebrate advent. They were there with me through my pregnancy and the birth of Trey. Our home became their home. Tomorrow night we will gather with them again. I feel completely comfortable with them, completely free to be myself. Family.

My family is very special to me, my family by blood and my family by commitment.

5 days until Christmas. I feel like a little kid I'm so excited.